SD MISSOURI RIVER FISHING/HUNTING REPORT June 23, 2015

Provided by: South Dakota Missouri River Tourism

SD MISSOURI RIVER FISHING/HUNTING REPORT – June 23, 2015

Provided by: South Dakota Missouri River Tourism

Fishing Update for

The Missouri River in South Dakota

It’s time to schedule a trip to the Missouri River! More rain came through this past week and some areas has storms. The entire state is absolutely beautiful and green! We encourage you to get out and spend some relaxing time on the river!

In the Pollock area fishing is good using bottom bouncers with spinners and some using crawlers. Depth is anywhere from 6-20 feet and fishing is really picking up with the warm weather.

Mobridge fishing is very good. It’s really starting to kick in. Fishing north of town seem to be a bit better right now. Anglers are fishing in the 5-15 foot depths. It’s starting to pick up around Mobridge and around the Moreau River. Walleye and crappie are both being caught in these areas.

At Akaska the water is warming up and fish are biting! Limits are starting to come in. Fish that are being caught are in 5-15 feet using jigs and minnows, bottom bouncers with minnows or some using crawlers. You need to keep moving until you find the fish – but they are there!

At Gettysburg fish are really biting all up and down the river. Limits are coming in. Anglers are catching walleye in 5-15 feet using bottom bouncers and spinners, minnows, crawlers and leeches. Some anglers are starting to use artificial bait

Around Spring Creek / Cow Creek and the Oahe Dam the water temp is coming up with the warmer weather.. Anglers are still catching northern and catfish using smelt and slip bobbers in 2-5 feet of water. The bite on Oahe is going well, especially when the weather is nice. Best areas right now is from Agency to Sutton Bay. When the wind blows the fishing is better in the shallow areas, around 6-10 feet and when the wind is calm, you will fish deeper – around 15-25 feet. Anglers are using plain hooks with minnows or crawlers, with some using crankbaits in the shallow areas. Smallmouth bass are going well up here too..

Fishing on Lake Sharpe east of Pierre and Fort Pierre all the way down to West Bend is starting to go with walleye limits coming in along with a large number of smallmouth bass. Anglers from Joe Creek down seem to be doing the best. Catfish and northern are still being caught in 5 feet or less using slip bobbers and smelt. You will have to release a numbers of under 15 inch fish to get limits but if you work at it you’ll find some excellent bigger fish. Plain hooks and spinners are both working, with minnows and crawlers. Some anglers are using crankbaits in the shallows. Fishing in the Tailrace at the Oahe Dam is good when water is being released. The white bass fishing is going really well in all areas, with large fish being caught!

Around Chamberlain , fishing is great – the summer pattern is starting. With the rising water the bite is in the shallow water. The fish also seem to be more aggressive. More anglers are starting to use night crawlers, others are using bottom bouncers with minnows and some are pulling plugs – seems to be whatever the anglers prefer right now. Pitching to the bluffs has been good. The depth most anglers are fishing at is 5-15 feet with the water temperature right now is around 64. You have to sort to get limits, but there are a large number of fish being caught. A hint: You don’t need to fish by other boats to catch fish! They are just about anywhere. You just need to take the time to look and find them.

In the Platte area fishing is really picking up and the points seem to be the best chance for fish. Bait is jig and minnow or crawlers in 5-20 feet. Some anglers are pulling plugs. And, you will have to sort to get limits. Smallmouth bass are going well here also.

At the Pickstown - Wagner – Lake Andes fishing is good below the Fort Randall Dam. A lot of little ones, but they are catching fish. Fishing is excellent on Francis Case! Anglers are catching fish in around 8-18 feet using minnows and bottom bouncers, crawlers, spinner jigs or a plain hook. Limits are coming in. Working the points seems to do well and in Pease and Spring Creek areas. They are also catching all kinds of Bass along with the walleye. For those interested in wildlife – there is a dead tree in the back of Pease Creek and this year there are seven blue heron nests! There have also been some sightings of either coyotes or wolves in the area, so boaters might see some predators during their trip.

On the Missouri River around Yankton fishing is seeing anglers doing well with anglers catching walleye, catfish, and northern below the dam. Boat fishermen are catching walleye, catfish and northern using jigs and minnows in the fast water.

*Please remember that the fishing conditions on the Missouri River change constantly and this report is simply a guideline – a snapshot in time.*

For more information and up-to-the-minute reports on fishing Lake Oahe, please call West Pollock Resort, 605-889-2448; Kemnitz MoRest Motel in Mobridge at 605-845-3668. At Akaska call Akaska Bait Shop at 605-649-7847. Call Bob’s Resort at 605-765-2500 or South Whitlock Resort at 605-765-9762 in Gettysburg. On Oahe and Sharpe call Hutch’s Guide Service at 605-22404755. On Lake Francis Case, contact Dakota Prairie Guide Service at 605-680-1910 or Platte Chamber of Commerce at 888-297-8175 and Circle H Motel in Lake Andes at 605-487-7652.